HOW TO GET GOD TO ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS (PART 4 of 4)

In the following text, Elijah teaches us what it means to get your prayers answered by God. Elijah was one of God’s Prophets. He was an upright and righteous man and as such, he was God’s mouthpiece. He was fearlessly and cried out against idolatry, immorality, and all other forms of iniquity. He urged the people to repent and return to the Lord, and then warned of dire consequences if they failed to do so.

Elijah was God’s chosen instrument to bring adulterous and haughty Israel to her knees. His prayers could bring down blessing (rain) or wrath (drought and fire). God chose to use a severe drought to get the people’s attention. They did not care that idolatry had brought a spiritual drought upon the land, but they could not ignore the physical drought that typified it.

In obedience to the Lord, Elijah went from Samaria to the Brook Cherith, east of the Jordan. There he was sustained by water from the brook and by food, which was miraculously brought to him morning and evening by ravens. After a while, however, due to the drought the book dried up.

1 And then this happened: Elijah the Tishbite, from among the settlers of Gilead, confronted Ahab: “As surely as God lives, the God of Israel before whom I stand in obedient service, the next years are going to see a total drought—not a drop of dew or rain unless I say otherwise.”

2-4 God then told Elijah, “Get out of here, and fast. Head east and hide out at the Kerith Ravine on the other side of the Jordan River. You can drink fresh water from the brook; I’ve ordered the ravens to feed you.”

5-6 Elijah obeyed God’s orders. He went and camped in the Kerith canyon on the other side of the Jordan. And sure enough, ravens brought him his meals, both breakfast and supper, and he drank from the brook.

7-9 Eventually the brook dried up because of the drought. Then God spoke to him: “Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I’ve instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you.”

10-11 So he got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, “Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out, “And while you’re at it, would you bring me something to eat?”

12 She said, “I swear, as surely as your God lives, I don’t have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we’ll die.”

13-14 Elijah said to her, “Don’t worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you’ve said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what’s left for you and your son. This is the word of the God of Israel: ‘The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought.'”

15-16 And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah asked. And it turned out as he said—daily food for her and her family. The jar of meal didn’t run out and the bottle of oil didn’t become empty:God’s promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it!

17 Later on the woman’s son became sick. The sickness took a turn for the worse—and then he stopped breathing.

18 The woman said to Elijah, “Why did you ever show up here in the first place—a holy man barging in, exposing my sins, and killing my son?”

19-20 Elijah said, “Hand me your son.”

He then took him from her bosom, carried him up to the loft where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he prayed, “O God, my God, why have you brought this terrible thing on this widow who has opened her home to me? Why have you killed her son?”

21-23 Three times he stretched himself out full-length on the boy, praying with all his might, “God, my God, put breath back into this boy’s body!” God listened to Elijah’s prayer and put breath back into his body—he was alive! Elijah picked the boy up, carried him downstairs from the loft, and gave him to his mother. “Here’s your son,” said Elijah, “alive!”

24 The woman said to Elijah, “I see it all now—you are a holy man. When you speak, God speaks—a true word!”

Get Free Email Updates!

Signup now and receive an email once I publish new content.

I will never give away, trade or sell your email address. You can unsubscribe at any time.

No comments

Just after check out a few of the blogposts within your site due to the fact not too long ago, and I honestly as if your ways of wordpress blogging. We bookmarked as their favorite the item so that you can my personal favorites web page collection and will also be checking in the past soon. Could you stop by this site excessively not to mention move it the judgment.

Precise send. I learn something statesman difficult on sharp blogs unremarkable. It testament always be moving to indicate accumulation off their writers and exercise a lowercase something from their outlet. I’d choose to use several with all the thing in my teensy weblog whether you do not head. Natually I’ll wage a command on your own weblog. Umpteen thanks .

As a youth pastor and organizer of many teen events, I sympathize with the plight of youth ministers. How do you inspire without alienating? Inspire The Fire by Ron Luce goes beyond the usual motivational tips of similar books and deals with the heart of the problem … teen apathy is a natural result of parent and church apathy. Once a week religion is not born-again religion. In the book, Luce says, “Radical abandonment will free us to communicate more effectively…who you are will…bleed through.” He says in another place, “Our teens need the real thing – an encounter with the living God. Once you give them the real thing they will never want the fake stuff again.” I recommend this book to anyone who wants to help teens get truly saved. Patrick McIntyre, author of The Graham Formula

My friend, you are an awesome writer. I truly love these messages that you have provided in these four series. I teach the bible class at church and I will be sharing these lessons with my class. I have bookmarked your website, and I will introduce it to family and friends. keep up the good work because more and more of this type of work is needed in the world today. thank you for sharing.

The entire four segments of this inspiring awareness to the answer of prayers has really been information and well written. The detailed points was easy to follow and if applied to life will encourage ones’ heart not to be weary. If we make it a habit of frequently offering sincere prayer requests God will respond. I think it’s all about just how deep your faith is and surrendering all to him. Not a portion but ” ALL”. A job well done. May God continue to inspire the writer of these words to continue bringing forth the message of truth.